Basketball superstar Caitlin Clark traded her high heels for bare feet Tuesday evening, determined to squeeze in some last-minute practice at Pelican Golf Club. Most pros had already left, but there she was at the chipping area, hitting shot after shot as the sun set over Florida.
Not every attempt was perfect – a couple sailed clear across the 60-yard green, nearly hitting the media center windows.
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It was the night before her LPGA pro-am debut at The Annika, and Clark was taking no chances.
But golf has a way of humbling everyone, even superstars. By hole 8 the next morning, Clark had already given the crowd a memorable moment – sending a hybrid shot into the gallery left of the green. No one was hurt, and one lucky fan walked away with a signed ball (marked with Clark’s famous number 22) and quite a story to tell.
The scene at 7 a.m. was electric. Hundreds of fans lined the course, many sporting Indiana Fever and Iowa Hawkeye jerseys. About 15 young girls from the LPGA’s Girls Golf program had traveled all the way from Miami, waving homemade signs behind every tee box.
“It was great to see how relaxed she was,” said world No. 1 Nelly Korda, Clark’s playing partner for the front nine. “You can tell she’s definitely very talented.”
The 22-year-old WNBA Rookie of the Year struggled with her driver early on, fighting a slice. But her short game? That’s where she really shined.
On the fifth hole, after missing the green by about 40 yards left, Clark showed off some seriously soft hands. With a tricky downhill lie, she delicately chipped to within 15 feet and drained the par putt.
The back nine brought a special treat – playing alongside golf legend Annika Sorenstam. The highlight came at the par-3 12th, where Clark rolled in her only birdie of the day from 6 feet.
The crowd went wild.
That’s exactly what tournament organizers had hoped for when they invited Clark. Ticket sales jumped to 12 times last year’s numbers.
“Nothing we would really see on a normal Wednesday,” Sorenstam noted. “It’s just great how it brings attention to the tournament.”
The Hall of Famer offered some friendly advice for the 16-handicap Clark: “She just needs to play more.”
Through it all, Clark kept things light. When she chunked a 3-wood during a Golf Channel interview, she just laughed, dropped another ball, and tried again.
“Obviously, getting to see them do what they do up front is – like people would pay for that. I got to do it for free,” Clark said afterward, grinning. “Hung in there; did all right. It was a good day.”
Before heading to the airport, she signed a few more autographs for fans rushing down the hill behind the 18th green. Something says she’ll be back on a golf course soon.
